Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Ophthalmology for January 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Eye Tests Tied to Less Dementia in Older Drivers Who Crash
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Vision testing and in-person renewal requirements are significantly related to a reduced prevalence of dementia in older adults hospitalized after car crashes, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in Neurology.
Diet Soda Associated With Higher Odds of Diabetic Retinopathy
TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Diet soda consumption may up the odds of diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to a study published online Jan. 23 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
Regulators Trying to Reduce Physician Burden Linked to EHR
MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is trying to address some of the issues relating to physician electronic health record (EHR) burden, partly with the appointment of Don Rucker, M.D., who is skilled in informatics and board-certified in emergency and internal medicine, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
2016 Saw Increase in Birth Defects Potentially Linked to Zika
MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From the first half of 2016 to the second half of 2016, there was an increase in the number of birth defects potentially related to Zika virus infection, according to research published in the Jan. 26 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Health Care Spending Up, Mainly Due to Rising Prices
MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Americans under age 65 years who were insured through their employer spent more than ever before on health care in 2016, with faster spending growth in 2016 than in recent years, according to the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI)’s annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report.
Odds of Post-Op Mortality Increase As Weekend Approaches
FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Following elective surgery, the odds of mortality rise in a graded manner as the day of the week of surgery approaches the weekend, according to research published in the February issue of Medical Care.
Eyelid Squamous Cell Carcinoma Rate Increasing in England
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) affecting the eyelids is rising in England, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Out-of-Pocket Expenditures Down With ACA Implementation
TUESDAY, Jan. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was associated with reduced out-of-pocket spending, although increases were noted in mean premium spending, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Decline in New Cases of Blindness in Germany
MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In Germany, there was a significant reduction in incidence of blindness from 2008 through 2012, both among individuals with and without diabetes, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in Diabetes Care.
Brochure Can Improve Opioid Disposal Rates After Surgery
FRIDAY, Jan. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Disseminating an educational brochure improves disposal of unused opioids after surgery, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Longer Duration of Post-Op Opioid Use Associated With Misuse
THURSDAY, Jan. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Each refill and week of opioid prescription following surgery is associated with an increasing risk of opioid misuse among opioid naive patients, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in The BMJ.
Professionals Disagree About Asking Patients About Sexuality
THURSDAY, Jan. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National Health Service (NHS) England recently recommended that professionals ask all patients their sexual orientation at every opportunity, although opinions are divided on whether this is appropriate, according to an article published online Jan. 17 in The BMJ.
Noninvasive Marker Tied to Diabetic Retinopathy Severity
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Disorganization of the inner retinal layers (DRIL) is associated with morphological changes in the outer retina and worse levels of diabetic retinopathy in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME), according to a study published online Jan. 11 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
AMA Online Tools Address Systems-Level Physician Burnout
THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Tools and resources have been developed to help address physician burnout at the systems level, which may affect more than half of doctors, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Economic Impact of Physicians Quantified for 2015
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have a large economic impact across the nation, creating an aggregate of $2.3 trillion of economic activity and supporting employment of nearly 12.6 million Americans, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Binocular Video Game Doesn’t Up Visual Function in Amblyopia
TUESDAY, Jan. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A home-based binocular falling-blocks video game does not improve visual outcomes more than placebo for children and adults with unilateral amblyopia, according to a study published online Jan. 4 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Pediatric Sports-, Recreation-Related Eye Injuries Common
MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pediatric sports- and recreation-related eye injuries are common, most often occurring among boys, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Pediatrics.
Physicians Frequently Continue to Work While Ill
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many physicians continue working and caring for patients while they are sick, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Static Perimetry Approach May Be Better for Kids With Glaucoma
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A simple static perimetry approach may yield higher-quality results than a combined perimetry approach in children younger than 10 years with glaucoma, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
For Hospitals, No Benefit for Early Adoption of Financial Incentives
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hospitals that volunteered to be under financial incentives for more than a decade as part of the Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration (early adopters) do not have better process scores or lower mortality than hospitals where these incentives were implemented later under the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing program (late adopters), according to a study published online Jan. 4 in The BMJ.
>70 Percent of Ophthalmologists Have Adopted EHRs
THURSDAY, Jan. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — More than 72 percent of ophthalmologists surveyed have adopted electronic health records (EHRs), although perceptions of EHR productivity outcomes are frequently negative, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Certain Stresses, Burnout Causing Some Women to Leave Medicine
THURSDAY, Jan. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Though equal numbers of men and women are now entering medical schools, the majority of physicians are still male, and female physicians face several unique stressors, according to a report published online in Medical Economics.
Higher Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Some Physicians
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) appears to be high for at-risk physicians, according to a review published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Surgery.
Length of Surgery Predicts Bleeding After Vitrectomy
TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Duration of vitrectomy surgery is a significant and independent predictor of postoperative bleeding among patients with diabetic retinopathy, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
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